The Castle of Gigonza is situated in the locality of “Baños de Gigonza”, a propitious area for any type of human settlement; since there is a natural spring of sulphurous water in the vicinity. This was thought to be ideal for curing and alleviating sickness or illness. Therefore when human beings changed their way of life from nomadic to sedentary, it did not take long for a Turdetani* city to be built by these useful springs, a place then named Saguntia.

(*Turdetani is a term used to describe belonging to Turdetania. The Turdetani were pre-Romanesque hispanic people of the Iberian peninsula; the Roman Hispania.)

Saguntia was one of the places on the ancient Via de Asido, a Roman road starting from Híspalis (Seville), and finishing at Baesippo (Barbate).

During the Roman expansion, and according to the historian Tito Livio, Rome sent the Consul Cato to Valle del Guadalquivir in order to help the praetor Publio Manlio in reducing the number of Celtiberian** and Turdetani tribes. It was there in Saguntia where the final attack was initiated in order to bring peace to the area. Later on, Saguntia became one of the enclaves who supported Viriatus – the leader of the Lusitanian people who resisted Roman expansion – consequently Saguntia was made into the stipendiary city of Rome as punishment.

**The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC.

During the Visigothic rule, Saguntia became part of Medina Sidonia's bishopric. From 555ad, it was ruled by the Byzantines', until 603ad when the Visigothic King Witteric expelled them indefinitely from the peninsula. It was then that Saguntia gained great importance and was honoured to be the episcopal representative of the Third Council of Toledo.

The tower of Gigonza is the architectural work of the Muslim military, being one of the most relevant and well-kept medieval monuments of the area. It was built on a crude foundation by the town Hisn Tanbul*** in the 12^th and 13^th century.

In 1312, the castle was owned by Don Alonso de Guzman – successor of the famous Guzman el Bueno (Guzman the good) - until he died in 1351 and the castle became property of the Jerez City Council.

***Hisn Tanbul is now known as San José de Valle.

In 1477 it was owned by the Admiral of Castille; Don Alonso Enriquez, and in 1492 it formed part of the Duke of Arcos' heritage; Don Rodrigo Ponce de Leon.

In 1946, it became known as the Castle of Gigonza which was later sold by the marchioness of Arcos to Don Salvador Pineda Lobato; the heir and current owner of the castle.